Why have the Eagles been running short practices?

Although the Eagles have been injury-riddled throughout the first two weeks of training camp, Nick Sirianni and company have been trying to keep the team off their feet as much as possible. One of the new changes for the Eagles this season has been the change in practice time. Often, a practice can last around two hours, but for Philadelphia, they’ve been keeping them short and sweet at just roughly 75 minutes.
Now, just because their practices are shorter doesn’t mean they aren’t working hard enough. The adjustment to the shorter time implies practice is fast pace and intense the entire time, getting the same workout in a condensed amount of time. Alongside those shorter practices, vets have been getting designated days off from camp and the whole team is off today. Both the staff and the players have loved the adjustment so far, it seems.
“Player health is the first thing. The confidence is that just because they are not practicing for the amount of time, right, the three hours or whatever, two-and-a-half hours with the walk-throughs, we are full speed mentally in walk-throughs, OK, like we are still walking through, but it’s full speed to the snap. We are still meaning full speed, right. We are still connecting full speed when we are in there.” – Nick Sirianni.
Some players have even continued to work even during their shortly allotted breaks. When drills flip to special teams, players not involved get some rest on the sideline. But Miles Sanders, for example, would still work on drills during his free time to better himself.
The 2021 season will be different, especially for NFL vets, with the addition of an extra game in the regular season. With an extended season, players need as much rest as possible to remain healthy. The good news with the Eagles’ current injuries are nothing severe, and everyone should be good to go by week one. Hopefully, these practices will make a difference once the Eagles hit the dog days of the regular season.
Mandatory Credit: Jose F. Moreno Philadelphia Inquirer